Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Damaged Stars. Enjoy the 2200-word chapter. I do not own Halo and such, 343, and a few others do.
The carrier slowly started to move ahead as the Immortal slowly drifted into the next part of space.
They were silent, it was something that he could not manage to relax once more as he hummed to think of what was going on and what would be thrown into the deep end when push came down.
He had been too interested in what was going on at the end of the moment as of now.
"I almost forget that this ship is far larger than anything we have in the Swords." He heard as he stayed silent.
The Fleetmaster was silent. He had offered the Immortal to Arbiter as a flagship when the schism broke out, he had declined it.
Perhaps he had reasons he would wish to hear… It was respectful for now but because he had zero way to fix it for now.
He clicked his fingers before he sighed as he paused too much as he looked downwards to the end of the day and had very little to deal with for now.
It had been something he had not the ability to deal with for now. He had not the ability to dwell on what was going on before he sighed.
He had been too thrown off for now… And to ensure that? He had to ensure his orders were followed correctly
The Fleetmaster thought of what the story was to try and find it out. His flagship was the most crucial piece of the fleet and yet? He knew it could not have been handled for now.
Such options were beyond his control, he motioned towards the controls with a few seconds of silence to sink in which he could not handle it. He had so many questions, so much could go wrong, and then what? Then what would be his next move?
Space was like a chessboard to him and as a commander. His moves were too important to ignore the undertaking in it.
He had to decide quickly or else he might not be able to relax lest he lose what made it a good move to make… He had to move, he had to act… He had to try to relax lest he fall all to pieces…
He did not want it to know now, knowing what was growing on his mind before it came down to it, knowing what was going on before he sighed… He sighed to himself.
Even he had to deal with it for now. He seemed to be dealing with it for now as he clicked his fingers.
The Immortal slowly moved from the nebula, moving like a shark from the massive group of stars but dwarfing even them.
"Sir, there is a structure ahead, roughly 44. Kilometers in diameter." He heard as he hummed, crossing his arms.
The fleet master sighed, knowing what awaited him when he quieted himself before he seemed to think of himself before he clicked his fingers.
"Move us closer, prepare weapon systems, and raise shields." He ordered, sighing as he shook his head.
He did not know what was going on, he did not know what was going on, to him. He could only guess that it would be better to find something out.
Part of him did not wish to risk the Immortal, it was far more than a ship and the Swords could not afford to lose it.
However? For more than one reason did he risk it? He knew that if he did? There was a lot more to try and figure out now.
The Immortal moved out of the nebula like a massive shark, its bow plowing through stars as if they were small little waves.
"Sometimes I forget these ships are like cities." He heard as he hummed.
"Every shipmaster commands their fiefdom, second master…. You have the bridge, I will take a small detachment, and scout it out." Vekan stated.
It was not meant to be a lie nor was it… There were a lot of things that required his attention. As a Fleetmaster? He had to look after his entire command and his men… As a Sangheili? The only part that seemed to matter was the personal honor of themselves.
Still? He had been able to think of what was going on before now and before long. He had been too incapable of this sort of thing to the end of the road.
That and that alone would be harder and harder to rationalize with the pain going on within his mind when it was all over at the end of the day which annoyed him to no end as of right now.
"You believe there is something out there… As dangerous as the Immortal?" He heard.
He turned to look at another Sangheili, one with the very familiar feature of missing an eye. He was smaller than Vekan but no less threatening. In fact? Vekan knew who he was and knew why he was so dangerous. The armor, fresh with marks of war and the scars on his leathery skin? Yes, Vekan knew them.
"That vessel is 14 kilometers larger than the Immortal and may carry just as many weapon emplacements," Vekan stated as he paused to consider his argument.
"So, you offer yourself up to the beast… For whatever reason?" He heard.
"I did not know you cared, Xor," Vekan stated.
"I care enough to know that the Fleetmaster is better at his post than handling that of an underling," Xor stated.
Vekan snapped his jaws, knowing what he meant… But he did not dare back down. The two officers glanced at one another before Vekan snorted.
If he did not back down? Xor would press the issue, he would not be able to do this… But if he did push it? Then Xor would try and force him to stay, he knew very well that the second master was eager to fight but so was he and he could not risk losing good soldiers to nothing.
He snorted, knowing that he was in a hard spot to justify, one which held no mercy for even him… If he means to try something? He would be forcing an issue none of them wanted to force, but? Given the fact that he was the fleet commander? He had a duty.
"You think me better than my warriors, second master?" Vekan questioned, raising an eyebrow, knowing what would happen when he did so. "That in some way, I am more fragile to my men? That I am more powerful?" He questioned.
Xor snorted but said nothing now, he had nothing else to offer, no retort where it was not needed. No. He knew what he suggested and what it meant… For there were no other words, nothing that could be undone by it.
Both warriors knew well what was on their minds and both could tell as warriors that the other did not once consider their logic well for good reason, not even when it was best to consider it for now and for a hopeful logic at the end of the day.
Whatever was over would be over and Vekan was not stupid, he knew damn well what was coming, and not once did he try and claim it, he had been able to figure it out once more.
So? He left as he knew what was to be done and he knew he could be the one to shepherd it in.
(2 minutes later)
The pair of phantoms flew through space and Vekan mentally prepared himself for what came next, knowing what was to come was something that needed to be dealt with.
Such was life and they greeted it warmly, they greeted it thus at the end of the day. There was a peace on the mind of the Fleetmaster, one which needed to be dealt with…. And it was clear something needed to change and it needed to change soon.
He was not too easily thrown off, too distracted for now… And too tired for now, too tired at the end of the day. He yawned and clacked his jaws against the jaws of his mouth as he knew more and more about such a thing that it almost cut him into pieces.
He sighed and thought of himself as best he could… There was a lot more to this and him… But he did not care, not even knowing what was going on.
Whatever was going on would not be much but if his men feared it? There was still work to do and he would stop only when his men were safe.
The small craft passed outwards towards the station. Despite the size? Not one of his men showed fear, not once did they feel fear, and not once did they relax.
They were eager for battle and he could not blame them, he could not even try. He lusted for it now and lusted well and well.
He had been too interested in these goals as he set his arms across one another. Not once did it end and not once could he have felt it end in any single way.
He wanted blood and he would get it one way or another. All of it would need to be done and dusted sometime soon and tonight seemed like the best place for it.
He sighed to himself and knew blasted well his men were going to cause a problem on and off the battlefield in a dozen different ways for now.
He and the other both looked to try and figure it out once more. Vekan was too interested in what was trying to be dealt with for now as he clicked his mandibles.
It seemed several dozen shuttles or smaller craft to try and greet them… Or attack them, it seemed they were not once letting the rest of the team get out and into the action.
Vekan clenched his jaw before he fell silent, too eager to try and figure it out once more. He had been too tired as he paused, eager to fight, to serve the Arbiter as he had during the war, and to act as he had been asked to.
Nothing about his actions was short-term, not once did he act as a leader, only a servant to a higher power.
It made the Sangheili snort, it made him more amused to know that he was like the warriors of the Covenant.
And it also disgusted him, disgusted him for he knew more and more that his people were to begin again, that they would exist anew in a galaxy where the rest of the world seemed to be existing more and worse.
It would become harder and harder to figure out as he drew in what he could consider another facet of his mind.
What was this place? What mission had he been given now? He did not know and he did not wish to figure it out once more as he seemed to be done.
He had been too eager to try and figure it out once more as he tried to figure it out more as he paused to let was all too easily to try and figure it out once more.
He had been too tired, too figured out when it came down the line, whatever was growing on his mind. They had a lot more soldiers and warriors within the Immortal, he had been too eager to figure out a better existence.
Yes, it seemed much more would be ended now, much of his work was not yet done… He had been too unable to figure it out when it was all said and done.
Whatever he could and would do? Well, it was easier said than done and easier than before to figure out for the time being.
He had been too eager to figure something out as he clicked it once more as he paused to think… Too eager to figure something out.
He was too silent for now as he clicked his jaws, his flagship had enough firepower to crater the entire fleet if he wished.
"Fleetmaster? We have several warships approaching us." Vekan heard.
Vekan was silent, pausing to rub at his mandibles as he sighed and then thought of his next move.
He did not even wish to think of it. If they did not act? They would be killed, they would all be killed perhaps.
"This is Fleetmaster Vekan of the CSO-Class Supercarrier Immortal Vanquisher," Vekan stated.
The soldier was silent, too silent to deal with it as he had no idea what to say, to do… There was too much going on now, too fascinated by it.
"This is citadel control… Your vessel violates the… Wait, that ship does not match any known species." He heard as he sighed.
He did not know of this treaty but the fact he was here? Well, now it seemed he had been fascinated by the species he saw.
What was ahead was not that of another Sangheili nor humans… Still? it was magnificent.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that this story will be going slowly… Vekan will probably encounter Shepard next chapter… For anyone wondering? Yes, Arbiter will be showing up, he and Rtas are Vekan's bosses after all. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be a 900-6500 word chapter, Lighting Wolf Out!